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Posted by Sharon Leddy-Smart, Lifestyle Coordinator at The Atrium, independent living at The Cedars. “TAKE A DEEP BREATH.” That’s where Jessica McKneally, BA, RYT, yoga instructor for The Cedars, begins her chair yoga class each week. Her students find their chairs and begin to stretch their bodies, focus their minds and find their centers. During the long Maine winters, yoga in the sunlight is a deep breath of fresh air. Yoga classes designed especially for seniors are just one of the many holistic wellness options available to The Cedars community. All winter long, members of The Atrium and The Osher Inn practice tai chi, work out in the gym or in water aerobics and swam laps in the pool. Patients in The Sam L. Cohen Rehabilitation Center gain strength and mobility through therapeutic exercises in the spacious, sunny therapy gym. Delicious, heart-healthy menu choices, wellness lectures and round-the-clock access to...
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Posted by Kathryn Callnan, President and CEO at The Cedars, Southern Maine’s premier retirement community. I have been reflecting on my thirty-plus years with this wonderful organization. I came to The Cedars as a nurse, and I still believe that the compassion and comfort we offer Maine’s seniors and their families is still our greatest strength. I am so proud of our rich history, the wide range of living choices we provide as well as the quality of care and service for which we continue to be celebrated today. There is no place in all of Maine like The Cedars. We set the standard in senior living choices. As a nonprofit, mission-driven organization, we are constantly confronted with the harsh realities of today’s fiscal climate. More and more, we are forced to make difficult choices between our well intentioned aspirations and the rapidly growing costs of maintaining basic services...
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With the recent winter-like weather, The Cedars has some suggestions to keep seniors safe this winter whether you’re at home or out and about. 1) If you are driving, be sure to have your tire air pressure, anti-freeze levels, belts and hoses (check for cracks or leaks), checked. And ask about switching to a thinner grade of engine oil for better performance in the cold. Make sure your windshield wipers work. 2) To help prevent wintertime falls wear shoes with non-skid soles and stay on sidewalks or that have been cleared of snow and ice. Use railings! 3) More home fires happen during the winter months than any other time of the year mainly due to home heating devices and people age 65 and older are three times more likely to die or be injured in a home fire as those younger. If you haven’t already, install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of...
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Larry Minnix, President and CEO of Leading Age, offers his insight for the holidays. The holiday season is powerful. It brings the unique mix of strong emotions that we carry throughout our lives, from the great feelings of joy we have in the presence of those near and dear to us—and the sadness we feel when remembering those who have passed on and expectations not fulfilled. Overlay the frenzies of shopping, cooking, visiting, special religious programs, and you have perhaps the most complex time of year in our lives. I can’t prove it, but it is my impression that many residents lived for the holidays so they could see family one last time and say goodbye. Those without family (or worse: without family that was willing to visit) were the saddest. At any rate, there always seemed to be an inordinate number of deaths after the holidays. So, how...
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The holiday season is here and I have found in my family that finding the right gift for loved ones living in a Skilled Care Center is a challenge. Here are ideas that are some of the most thoughtful gifts you can give: 1) Scrapbook – a book of photos with labels of family names, events, dates, etc. is a wonderful gift for your loved one. Staff love to look through scrapbooks with our residents. It is a pleasure to get to know our residents better and a fun reminiscing activity for residents to share their lives with us. 2) Personalize – a pretty comforter that is machine washable is a nice gift to personalize and brighten your loved one’s room. Framing a family photo or creating a shadow box that reminds your loved one of home, a special event or vacation is a wonderful gift. If your loved...
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Independent Living Checklist: 3 Things to Look For – Social and Recreational This post is the second of a five part Independent Living Checklist, featuring items to look when visiting senior living communities. This post highlights the social and recreational aspect of retirement living. We find so many seniors are not only looking for the peace of mind and ease that a full-continuum community offers, but many also want the neighbors and friends that accompany this lifestyle. When visiting independent living and retirement communities, keep these points in mind: 1. What kinds of groups and individual recreation are offered? Who schedules them? All senior living communities are made up of individuals with an extensive history of hobbies and interests – and the events and programs should reflect this richness and variety. The Lifestyles Coordinator should meet routinely with members to help design the calendar and drive specific programming. ...
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HOW TO STAY MARRIED LONGER by Mel Stone In early 2009, we asked Mel Stone, who lives at the Atrium at The Cedars, about the success of his long marriage with Fran Stone. Here’s how he replied: As Fran and I enter our 66th year of wedlock (is this something like gridlock?), we note more folks imagine us as experts on how to stay married that long. Or, more to the point how to stay happily married that long. Marriage counselors tell us that the two leading causes of marital friction are money and sex, but not necessarily because of a super abundance of either or both. I think the simple formula lies in the matter of controversy, or, rather, in avoiding it! Experience has taught that if one finds oneself involved in controversy with a marriage partner, don’t try to win. For in marital controversy winning a battle...
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Best Senior Living – ContessaPosted by Contessa, Pet Therapy Provider My name is Contessa. I am a six year old West Highland Terrier and I live at The Cedars. Actually, I don’t live there, but I am there every day and I have a bed there. My “mom” is President and CEO Kathy Callnan and she brings me to work with her every day! Sometimes I take naps in her office while she’s having meetings, but usually she wakes me up and tells me to “Go to work, Tessa!” So I do. My work is being a therapy dog. I visit with residents in the Hoffman Center every week. Sometimes I hear about their grandchildren or their own dogs and sometimes I just get my ears scratched. I like that a lot. My other job is helping my friends Kim Doyon and Janine Fifield run the Life Enrichment program....
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By Melanie Desjardins, Manager of Care Coordination at The Cedars Personal visits can make a big difference for loved ones who live at The Cedars. Although our Life Enrichment Department offers several activities, arriving with a planned activity can make your visit more pleasant and meaningful for both you and your loved one. Here are five creative things to do while visiting: Bring photos of family and friends from days gone by and/or recent photos of their house or hometown. Help your loved one write letters or send cards to people. Together, start to create a photo album, framed photograph collection or a poster to hang in their room. Cook your favorite family meal together in our Life Enrichment kitchen. Create a life story to frame for all staff to see. Write about the great life of your loved one! Play word and trivia games to keep your loved...
